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Live Nation: hanging out at the mall

Lloyd Center confirms music venue is coming to the former Nordstrom space, probably in early 2020.

Live Nation Entertainment has confirmed it will build a new live music venue at the Lloyd Center shopping mall. The venue will be on the top floor of the former Nordstrom building with a box office on the first floor.

The venue chain promised "state-of-the-art lighting and sound technology, and other accommodations including unmatched VIP amenities, communal bars and lounge areas for pre and post event dining," in a release Wednesday.

Live Nation Club & Theatre has 78 owned/operated/managed clubs and theaters, including the Fillmores and the House of Blues clubs.

"This is the first step in Lloyd Center's evolution to become a true lifestyle, entertainment center," said Bob Dye, general manager at Lloyd Center. "Our restaurants and retailers are thrilled about the thousands of concertgoers who will walk by their stores every day."

"Portland is a great music market with a strong fan base," said Liam Thornton, executive vice president of development of Live Nation's Clubs & Theatres group. "This mid-size venue will fill the gap between the smaller-club venues and larger arenas already present in Portland, bringing fans even more entertainment offerings."

Live Nation applied for a liquor license with the OLCC in October 2017. At the time Dye estimated the venue would open in early 2020.

The mall's renovation under new ownership is intended to capitalize on the district's good transportation links and the development of thousands of new units of housing.

Lloyd Center's manager Dye has said he wants it to become an "entertainment destination and lifestyle center," reflecting the fact that retail alone is not enough to draw people to shopping malls any more.

CAPREF Lloyd Center LLC, the investment firm from Dallas, Texas that owns the mall, has also said it plans for more stores and wants to make Lloyd Center an entertainment-based mall, rather than a three-anchor department store mall.

The mall is adding a Regal Cinema complex inside as the Regal across the street makes way for housing.

The release said that Lloyd Center's Phase Two will involve "discussions with additional family-friendly entertainment companies and local restaurants and bars with the idea of creating an entertainment wing that people of all ages will enjoy."